Captain Thomas Coram (1668-1751), English philanthropist. Coram spent the earlier part of his life as a seaman. In 1693, he settled in Massachusetts. He spent 10 years in America, where he was a ship-builder, strengthened the Anglican church, later he promoted settlement schemes in Georgia and Nova Scotia. In 1703, he came back to England. Thanks to his initiative, energy and integrity the Foundling Hospital for orphans was founded, of which Hogarth was a patron